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Information For:

NOCC15 on 7 July

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How do I become registered with OF&G?

Request an Information Pack

Contact the telephone number given below to obtain an information pack. This contains a letter of introduction from the Chairman, information on advisory services for organic farmers and growers, the charges sheet and a publications and services information sheet plus order form.

Request an Application Pack

This consists of the OF&G Control Manual, which includes the standards for organic production, the Application Form and various technical leaflet.

Complete the Application Form

The next stage in the process is to complete the Application Form and send it to the Certification Office with the appropriate inspection/certification fee. (Please refer to the scale of charges on the OF&G Charges Sheet). The relevant standards must also be studied and understood before an application is made. If you have any questions, contact the OF&G certification office on the telephone number below.

Undergo an Inspection

Following our assessment of your Application Form, an inspector will contact you and arrange to visit the farm and carry out the inspection. This will take from two hours for small operations, up to a full day for large complex operations.

Agree to any conditions set by the Certification Office

The inspector will write a report, which is evaluated by the certification office.

Where it is felt necessary, conditions may be imposed to bring the system into line with the Standards. These are issued on a Compliance Notice that you are expected to agree to by signing and returning to the Certification Officer. Additional information may also be requested where necessary. Where no problems occur, the Compliance Notice will be used to notify you of the decision but it will not have to be signed and returned.

Be issued with a Certificate of Compliance

Once all the above stages have been completed, the farm will be registered as a Licensee and a Certificate of Compliance will be issued along with a Schedule to the Certificate.

The Certificate can be displayed to demonstrate to customers that the operation is registered. Customers frequently ask for a copy of the current Certificate to confirm that the farm is licensed to produce the organic products it is supplying, so a copy should also be kept on file.

The Schedule specifies the fields, which have been certified, their OS/IACS numbers and areas, whether in conversion or remaining under conventional management and the date the conversion began.

Once the farm has become registered as an OF&G Licensee, Defra will be notified that the process has been completed and the farm will be entered onto the National Register.

Certification to suit all

Organic Farmers & Growers is one of the UK’s leading organic control bodies. We aim at all times to be practical in our approach to the sector. While protecting the integrity of the organic standards is at the heart of our work, we also understand that you have a business to run and a living…

Statuses Explained

Approved for use in organic systems
This product has been independently assessed by OF&G and has been judged to be allowable for use by organic farmers without restrictions or the requirement to seek further approval from the control body.

Approved for restricted use – approval required
This product has been independently assessed by OF&G and it has been judged that before it can be used you must seek approval from us, which must include an explanation of why you need to use this specific product. Each application will be examined on its merits against the requirements of the organic regulation and you must have received your approval in hard copy or electronic form before purchasing the product.

Approved for restricted use – justification required
This product has been assessed by OF&G and it has been judged that you do not need to seek a derogation before using it, however, you must be able to give a full and clear justification to the auditor during your inspection as to why it has been used. If you are in any respects unsure about the suitability of a product, please contact your Certification Officer before using it.

Approved for restricted use – veterinary supervision and withdrawal period required
This product may or may not be medicinal, but is proposed as an alternative to conventional pharmaceuticals. OF&G does not have the specialist knowledge to advise on veterinary products and, as such, insists that a vet is consulted and gives approval in writing prior to this product being administered. A withdrawal period, as defined in the organic regulation, may be required and you should contact your Certification Officer regarding this.